8 Ways To Fall In Love With Fitness

No, it's not impossible. You can fall in love with exercise instead of having that dreaded feeling every time you lace up your sneakers. The trick to falling in love with fitness is finding something you love to do, and trying new things because you may discover a dormant passion for line dancing, snow shoeing, or even something as exotic as fencing. It's time to uncover your inner athlete and fall in love all over again!

Balls, Bosu and Barrels – If you were the kid who was always climbing the monkey bars and ropes at the park, you'll have tons of fun getting fit with these fitness tools. Exercise balls can be used for all kinds of abdominal exercises, a Bosu is a neat device for balance training and core stability exercises, and you can use a small barrel for practicing Pilates – all in the comfort of your own home. So next time your at the park with your kids, they'll be chasing you on the monkey bars!

Square Dancing – This energetic style of dance may look strange to you – but it's great exercise – and great fun! This folk dancing tradition has existed in Canada for hundreds of years and has maintained its popularity as a social activity often deemed "friendship set to music." Now this form of dance is even more popular as people are doh-si-dohing their way to being fit! Don't knock IT before you try it! You may forget you're getting fit because you're having so much fun!

Snowshoeing – Snowshoes are thousands of years old, and Native Canadians used to use snowshoes as a form of transport. Only in the last century has snowshoeing become a recreational sport. Now, Canadians across the country are strapping on their snowshoes and heading for the trails to spend some time outdoors, at one with nature, while boosting cardiovascular fitness and toning their backsides. Today's modern snowshoes are typically lightweight, aluminum frames with fabric decks and strap bindings as opposed to the classic bent-wood frames crisscrossed with rawhide strips. In recent years, many celebrities have talked about the physical benefits of snowshoeing, especially when it comes to toning your glutes and quads.

Snowshoes are inexpensive compared to skis and snowboards, and snowshoeing is not a difficult sport, but don't let that fool you into thinking you are not getting a good workout. Using poles, whether specially designed for snowshoeing or made for cross-country skiing, they will help you maintain balance and give your upper body a good workout too, especially when you're doing some intense climbing.

Buddy Up! – It's no secret that having a fitness buddy helps get you going. Let's face it, when your doorbell rings at 6 a.m., you're not going to hide under the covers and ignore your buddy. Or, when your work buddy grabs you for your daily lunchtime power walk, you're less likely to sit at your desk and graze. A workout buddy provides a little extra incentive to get you going, and a little less response time to say no to exercise!

Feel Good in Fun Clothes! – Remember the old adage about how when you look good, you feel better? This goes for the gym too. If you buy yourself some fun fitness clothes that you feel good in, you are more likely to have more confidence in yourself and as a result, push yourself harder at the gym. Stores like Winners and The Bay offer great deals on workout clothes that are able to stand up to any fitness test. Remember, if you look the part, you're more likely to feel the part!

Bring the Outdoors Inside – So what if the temperature is way below zero and the wind chill is making you shake like a leaf. Quit lamenting warm days gone by, and bring your beloved outdoor sports indoors. Shed all your layers, and find an indoor rollerblading rink, grab your tennis partner and hit your local tennis club, climb the rock wall at your local YMCA, hit a spinning class, or throw on your bathing suit and swim laps at your local pool. Create your own warmth, and you won't be missing those days any longer.

Position Yourself Properly – Sometimes watching others can give you just the boost you need to get going at the gym. Look around you and position yourself next to someone who inspires you and watch yourself take off! You'll soon be running to keep up with them...

Take Your Toddler With You– Most mothers never know when they'll be able to squeeze in a little exercise time while running their kids around all day. Nowadays, many gyms have daycares, but if you don't want to leave your children, you can exercise with them! Of course, you can run around outside all together, play in the snow, and build snowmen. But, if it's too cold, why not try a kid-friendly Pilates video? Most companies which sell Pilates videos have kid-friendly ones too. Your kids will have a blast getting fit with you while trying all those fun exercises!

About The Author
Richard Moore is the Founder an President of Everything Health and Beauty! For Men and Women
Everything Health and Beauty for Men and Women was established to provide information, tips and reviews relevant to all things pertaining to Health, Beauty, Fitness And Wellness. We are quickly growing and becoming one of the most popular internet health, beauty, fitness and wellness resource sites available. We give you new and innovative, up to date real and honest information. http://www.everythinghealthandbeauty.9k.com
ehandb@hotmail.com

Water And Exercise

The human body is made up of over 75% of water, and as we all know, we cannot live without water. The fact is, we can only survive for a total of 3 days without water. Water has however, been replaced in most diets by soft drinks and other sugar sweetened refreshments. Keep in mind that water is a healthier and necessary for leading yourself towards a better health and longevity.

Your own personal need for water can vary greatly due to exercise, weight, and temperature. Research has proven that over 2/3 of adults don't get the water they need on a daily basis. By drinking water on a regular basis you can replenish your body and keep it well hydrated and functioning as it should be.

A majority of us wait until we are thirsty before we drink water. Keep in mind, this way isn't a reliable gauge of the water needs for the body. By the time you are thirsty you have already lost two of more cups of the body's water supply. Therefore, drinking water regularly is much better than simply waiting until you are thirsty.

It is very important that you don't substitute beverages with alcohol and caffeine for water. The reason behind this is that those types of beverages act as a diuretic and can cause you to lose more weight through increased urination. You may think and feel as if you are getting more water through these beverages, although the fact is that you are letting it go almost as fast as you consume it.

Anytime you exercise, you need more water. Due to perspiration, your body will lose quite a bit of water. For each pound lost due to exercise, you need to drink 2 cups of water. Even when you lay down to sleep, your body loses water. By drinking a glass or more of water before you go to sleep, you can wake up with your body functioning as it should be.

It should become more obvious that when you are sick you'll need more water than any other tine. When you get a cold or the flu, your body can become dehydrated quite quickly. You can help to prevent this by drinking more water at times when you become sick.

There are several mixed opinions as to whether purified water will actually provide benefit. This is a subject you should explore yourself as you determine the best type of water for yourself.

Always make it a habit to drink water on a daily basis. You should keep a bottle of water with you at all times and drink it throughout the day. You should also teach yourself to drink water instead of other beverages that don't replenish the nutrients your body needs.

About The Author
Mohamed Rabea - Online Tips and Resources! http://gncwheyprotein.wheyproteinlive.info http://wheyproteinshake.wheyproteinlive.info http://isopurewheyprotein.wheyproteinonline.info.

Success with Strength Training

Strength training is the most effective way to turn your body into a fat burning machine and stay in great shape! It is the most productive form of exercise there is! In order to be successful with strength training there are some basic principles that must be followed if you want to receive the many benefits which strength training has to offer! The three most critical factors are progressive overload, intensity, and recovery.

Progressive overload simply means that you must force your muscles to work harder each time. That means you can't use the same weight every workout, regardless of how many sets or reps you do. The best way to do this is by attempting to increase the resistance / weight used and, or increase the number of repetitions performed at each workout.

Intensity is also very important. You must force your body to increase its strength. For example, if you typically do 3 sets of 10 reps on the leg press at 115 pounds, and your legs are capable of doing 16 reps, why is your body going to make any improvements? Your body will only add muscle if you force it to work at a higher level than it is used to. The most effective way to overload your muscles is to perform one or two sets per exercise, and continue each set to muscular failure. That means continuing each set until no more repetitions are possible. Challenge yourself!

Once you have overloaded the target muscle group you must then allow for proper recovery and over compensation. This means you must rest long enough to allow for recovery of the targeted muscle group, the nervous system, refill glycogen stores (Energy stored within your muscles), and also allow enough time for the muscles to make improvements or increases. This process takes time. Generally, it takes between 2-7 days to recover from a strength workout! The harder you work the longer it takes your body to repair. Don't short-circuit your progress by strength training too often!

Basic Guidelines for Successful Strength Training

Strength train no more than three times per week!

Perform 1-2 sets per exercise!

Choose 1-2 exercises for small muscle groups and 2-3 for large muscle groups. (ex. 2-3 exercises for legs, back, chest, and 1-2 for arms, shoulders, etc.)

Choose no more than 8-10 exercises and work hard on them! . Always keep a record of all workouts! . Take each set to failure or fatigue!

Perform each exercise SLOWL V! Force the muscle to do the work -- NOT momentum!

As soon as you see a slow down in progress it's time to make a change to your program!

Below are some sample workouts and frequently asked questions regarding strength training.

Full-body Workout 1-2 x per week (approx. 30-40 mins.)
Lat pull-down 2 sets Chest press 2 sets Leg press 2 sets
Lateral raise 1 set Bicep curl 1 set
Triceps pushdown 1 set Leg curl 1 set
Leg extension 1 set

Upper / Lower Split
2-3 x per week (approx. 25-40 mins)

A. Upper
Seated row 2 sets
Shoulder press 2 sets
Lat pull-down 1 set
Pectoral fly 1 set
Lateral raise 1 set
Bicep curl 1 set
Triceps pushdown 1 set

B. Lower
Leg curl 2 sets
Glute machine 1 set
Leg press 2 sets
Leg extension 1 set

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. How do I lose the flab on the back of my arm or my spare tire?

A. It is physically impossible to only lose fat in one area. What you can do is decrease body fat by burning more calories than you consume. Increase muscle tissue with strength training and burn more calories all day long, even while you are sleeping!

Q. How often should I strength train if my goal is to burn fat?

A. 2-3 times per week would be great! You will build muscle tissue, which burns calories 24 hours a day, and you will decrease the chance for excess calories to be stored as fat!

Q. What if I don't want to bulk up? I just want to tone.

A. If it were that easy to bulk or get big nearly every guy in the gym would be huge] Women generally don't have the genetic potential to build large muscles due to hormonal differences. Plus, don't forget that adding muscle tissue to your body is a good thing! It makes everything you do much easier, reduces the chance for injury, and increases your metabolism!

Q. How many sets and repetitions should I do?

A. This will vary depending upon your goal. If you are training to increase strength, due fewer sets but higher intensity (1-2 sets to failure per exercise). If training for muscle size, perform multiple sets (2-4 sets, but only 1 to failure). The number of repetitions will vary also depending upon the speed at which you move the weight and your goals. In general, shoot for 8-12 reps.

Q. What are the benefits of strength training?

A. Strength training, if done correctly, can make some major changes to your body and mind! Here are just a few:

Increased metabolism
Increased strength and flexibility
Increased muscle tone
Reduced stress levels

For more information on how you can maximize the benefits of strength training, please call me at 240-731-3724 or e-mail jesse@achieve-fitness.com

About The Author
Jesse Cannone is a certified personal trainer, nutritionist, and best-selling fitness author. Sign up to receive his free email course, Muscle Building Tips which is full of powerful tips and techniques for maximizing strength and size. http://www.seriousstrengthtraining.com
support@seriousstrengthtraining.com

Finding The Right Exercise Intensity

We've all heard the exercise guidelines that recommend we participate in 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity 3-5 times per week. That seems easy enough to implement. Or, does it? The duration and frequency guidelines are very straight-forward and easily defined. But, "moderate" intensity is often left to interpretation. So, how do we define "moderate"?

First we need to understand that the definition of moderate intensity can be completely different from one individual to another. For example, a well-trained athlete may be in the moderate zone when running 5 miles in 30 minutes. Yet, for a novice exerciser who is very overweight, moderate means walking one mile in 30 minutes.

Don't let this confuse you. While the intensity level is very critical in the overall guideline, fortunately it's also fairly easily identified. The ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) defines moderate as an intensity of 40 percent to 60 percent VO2 maximum. But, since most of us don't know how to determine our VO2 maximum, there are easier definitions to utilize.

You can base VO2 loosely on your maximum target heart rate zone. A VO2 maximum of 40-60% equates to about 50 to 70 percent of maximum heart rate (MHR). And determining your MHR and the corresponding percent zones is relatively simple. Below is an easy calculation for determining your specific MHR and what 50-70 percent of equates to.

Target Heart Rate Zone

Take 220 and subtract your age. This equals your MHR. (Example: For a 30 year old your MHR is 190)

Next to determine your low range of 50 percent, simply take 190 and multiply it times 50 percent. (Example: For a 30 year old this would equal 95).

Finally, to determine your high range of 70 percent, simply take 190 and multiply it times 70 percent. (Example: For a 30 year old this would equal 133).'

So, in this example the 30 year-old would want to exercise in a heart rate range of somewhere between 95 - 133 BPM. Keep in mind that this calculation is age-related. It does not take into consideration your fitness level. So, it is not completely accurate, but still a good guideline. For an even more accurate (and more complicated) method for determining your training intensity range, visit this link: http://www.workoutsforyou.com/intensity.htm

Also, some medications can raise or lower your heart rate and change the heart's response to exercise. Beta-blockers are among those that alter the heart rate. This means that people taking these types of prescriptions should probably use another option for monitoring their intensity.

There are some other very good ways to measure intensity for both people taking medications or those just looking for a more convenient method. Two good options are the Ratings of Perceived Exertion (RPE) method and the Talk Test.

RPE

This takes into account what the exerciser is perceiving in terms of exercise fatigue and it correlates well with cardiorespiratory and metabolic factors like heart rate and overall fatigue. The RPE scale starts with 0 and ends with 10. A rating of 0 equates to doing nothing, being at rest. A rating of 10 is equal to maximum effort, working very, very hard. For moderate intensity, an exerciser should strive for reaching somewhere between a 4-6, which the scale defines as a somewhat hard to a hard effort.

A great way to measure intensity (where appropriate), is utilizing both the RPE and Target Heart Rate Zone. The exerciser should identify where they fall on the RPE scale when their heart rate is between 50 – 70% maximum. This will allow them to accurately use only the RPE scale for measuring intensity when it is not feasible to determine their THR.

Talk Test

The final method for measuring exercise intensity is the Talk Test. Like the RPE, the talk test is subjective. The exerciser simply ensures that he works out at a level where he can carry on a comfortable conversation. He should be able to breathe comfortably during exercise. In simple terms, the exerciser would be working out too hard if he has to take a breath between every word he says. On the flip side, he would be exercising at too easy of an intensity if he could sing several phrases of a song without breathing hard.

Now you know how to define "moderate" and that means you don't have any more excuses. It's time to get moving. Keep in mind that the ACSM guidelines are minimum recommendations. For more significant health improvements and/or weight loss or for more advanced exercises, consider increasing any part of the three recommendations found in their guideline.

About The Author
Lynn Bode, certified personal trainer, offers her services online through WorkoutsForYou.com. Visit: http://www.workoutsforyou.com for a free sample workout and to sign-up for their monthly fitness newsletter. Workouts For You provides affordable online exercise programs custom designed for each individual. You'll receive weekly customized workouts designed just for YOU, plus much more!
info@workoutsforyou.com

How Working Out May Dry You Out

I am Dr Patrick Flanagan, and this is the latest edition of my Dr Health Secrets newsletter. I have worked out regularly for my entire life and from many years of experience, I have put together a little bit of information on working out and keeping hydrated.

Shake What Your Genetics Gave You

Yes, even I get the Victoria Secret catalog and cringe at the bevy of beauties who are strewn across the pages in napkin-sized underoos. And though I usually opt for walking in nature or doing floor exercises, I sometimes feel that need and desire to go to the gym and run myself into the ground for four straight miles on a treadmill, and like a hamster on one of those little metal wheels, I wonder, "Why is it that I am not going anywhere?"

In this fantasy, I peel myself from the machine, step onto the floor, and find myself lightheaded and somewhat disoriented. I wander around, aimlessly hoping that this strange feeling of confusion will soon pass as I stumble into walls and neighboring weight machines.

Sometimes it passes rather quickly, and other times, I am left in this strange fog for what feels like hours. What is this strange sensation that I, as well as many others, experience after working out? Well, it is mostly dehydration.

If I Only Had Some Water...

Consuming water while working out would seem to be a pretty common practice among the gym going type, and while many people can be seen with water bottles in hand, a large majority of those people don't actually drink enough water to maintain proper hydration.

According to Peter Bruno, M.D., who is the team physician for the New York Knicks, and Finish Line Physician for the Boston Marathon, constant sweating for over an hour decreases the total amount of blood volume in the body.

On average, a person can lose up to one liter of water per hour on a hot day. This lack of water causes your blood to thicken, making it harder for the blood to circulate, which in turn causes your blood pressure to drop. This then leads to that fabulous feeling of lightheaded confusion that so many of us have come to know and love.

Bruno says, and I quote, "You are losing blood volume, it is almost as if you are bleeding when you get dehydrated because the amount of blood you have available to deliver oxygen decreases."

Short-term side effects of moderate dehydration include headache, nausea, confusion, disorientation, muscle cramping, and so on and so forth. There are risks in staying within this level of moderate dehydration, such as intense muscle pain, and even muscle tearing.

I think most of us have pulled a groin muscle or two in our day, and I think that all of us can agree that it is not something we hope for on a frequent basis.

What's an Athlete To Do?

The best solution is for you to check in with yourself prior to, during, and after a workout. Ask yourself how your body feels and how it would feel with more fluids. In general, try to drink a bit more than you think and see how your body reacts. If you are tired, sore, or feeling weak, use that as an indication that you need more water...

About The Author
This article has been authored by Dr Patrick Flanagan, a cellular hydration expert who has developed a unique silica Microcluster® and silica hydride to dramatically increase longevity.
www.DrHealthSecrets.com
hlth_articles@yahoo.com

Walking for Fat Loss???

With obesity and disease increasing dramatically, many fitness experts are recommending walking for weight loss and fitness. Some are even going so far as saying that walking is the best way to burn fat and lose weight. I strongly disagree with this and am going to show you why walking is NOT effective at burning off body fat.

Yes, you read that correctly...

Walking is NOT effective at burning body fat and if your goal is fat loss you might be wasting your time. I am not saying that walking is not beneficial, I am saying that if fat loss is the primary goal, there are far better choices that will deliver far better results.

The primary benefits of walking are increased blood flow and circulation, improved recovery, and a strengthened immune system. There are several reasons why walking in not the best choice when it comes to fat loss. Here are just a few:

Walking does NOT burn a lot of calories

The lower the intensity of the activity or exercise the smaller the number of calories burned per unit of time. For example, you can burn more calories in 15 minutes of bicycling at a high intensity level than you can in 45 minutes of easy walking.

Walking does NOT result in a large increase in metabolism

Another downside to walking is that because it's generally low intensity it results in only a small increase in metabolism that will only last approximately 1-2 hours after the walk. On the other hand, metabolism increases are larger and last longer (4-24 hrs or more) when you perform high intensity cardio workouts.

Walking does NOT deplete muscle glycogen

Low intensity exercise like walking does not deplete muscle glycogen levels and therefore, later that day if you have excess calories they will likely be stored as body fat whereas if you deplete the glycogen the excess calories will primarily be stored in the muscles.

So why then do so many fitness and health experts recommend walking for weight loss? One reason is that people don't want to hear that they have to work hard so they figure some activity is better than none. Another reason is that the body burns more fat for fuel when exercising at an easy pace, however, the total amount of energy used is so small that you end up burning off little body fat. That's also why when you choose the "fat burning" program on your treadmill or bike it has you exercise at any easy level. Yes, you're burning fat, but so little that you'd have to exercise at that easy pace for hours and hours each day.

High intensity cardiovascular/aerobic exercise is much more effective in burning off the excess body fat. In fact, several studies have been done to prove this. In one study they compared one group who did moderate level aerobics for 45 minutes with another group who performed high intensity workouts for 15 minutes. They did before and after fitness testing including body fat analysis and found that the group who performed the high intensity aerobics lost nine times as much body fat!

Want more proof?

Compare the bodies of a walker, marathon runner, and sprinter. If you are not familiar with what a sprinters body looks like, it is very muscular and has little body fat while on the other hand the body of a walker will likely have the opposite, little muscle and more fat. The sprinter does little or no low intensity exercise and does primarily short hard bursts of work while the marathoner overtrains so much they burn off both the body fat and the muscle and that's why they tend to look almost sickly thin.

So what should you do then if your main objective is to shed those excess pounds of body fat?

Two things:

Perform some form of high intensity cardio 2-4 times per week
Stabilize blood sugar to minimize the storage of new fat

I know some of you by now are saying "I can't do high intensity exercise, I have a bad knee" and don't worry, I have a solution for you. The good news is that high intensity is all relative to you and your current fitness level. For example, fast walking up and down hills may be high intensity for you... it all depends. So don't think that you have to start running or something like that. Just slowly start to increase the intensity of your cardio workouts while also maybe decreasing the time because you can either work hard or you can work long.

Also, you can make almost any activity or exercise high intensity.... here are a few examples:

increase your speed
use an incline or hills
increase resistance
perform intervals ( the most effective method)

Obviously, some exercises/activities or better suited than others but the point is if you want to burn more fat and make your workouts as productive as possible you need to increase the intensity.

To learn more about high intensity cardiovascular exercise please check out the following articles:

Forget the Fat Burn Zone - http://www.achieve-fitness.com/forget.htm
In Search of the Ideal Aerobics Routine - http://www.achieve-fitness.com/ideal.htm
Heart Rate Guidelines - http://www.achieve-fitness.com/cardio.htm

Be sure to also check out my Burn Fat FAST! ebook and audio program here: http://www.burn-fat-fast.com - it covers everything from cardiovascular training to strength training to nutrition and more.

As with any changes to your fitness program be careful and don't over do it. Just because high intensity workouts burn more fat, don't think that you'll get even better results by doing it everyday - that will quickly lead to over-training and a loss of muscle which will only make it even harder to burn off the fat.

So if your primary goal is fat loss, don't waste your time walking and instead focus on progressive, high intensity cardio to maximize the effectiveness of your workouts.

About The Author
Jesse Cannone is a certified personal trainer and author of the best-selling fitness ebook, Burn Fat FAST. Be sure to sign up for his free email course as it is full of powerful weight loss and fitness tips that are guaranteed to help you get the results you want. http://www.guaranteed-weightloss.com
info@guaranteed-weightloss.com

Exercise & Self Image: How to Feel Better in More Ways than One

A RECIPROCAL RELATIONSHIP

There seems to be an almost magical relationship between exercise and a healthy (or at least improved) self-image. Research shows that one of the best predictors (not the only one, but one of the best) of whether someone will achieve their fitness goals is a key aspect of self-image called self-efficacy. Self efficacy is the degree to which you believe you're able to control what you do, and what happens to you).

The higher someone's self-efficacy, the better their chances of starting and sticking to an exercise programme. At the same time, one of the most well documented psychological effects of regular exercise is a marked improvement in self-efficacy. The longer we engage in regular exercise, the better we feel about ourselves. This means is the better our self-esteem, the more likely we are to exercise, and the more our self-esteem rises, so the more we want to exercise... and so on. Although the conclusions are fairly clear, there doesn't seem to be much study of why the relationship exists. There are, however, a lot of theories.

PHYSICAL REASONS

Firstly, there are the biochemical results of exercise (see our article on Exercise and Stress for a more in-depth look at these). Have you noticed that a given situation can look totally different depending on how good you feel physically? From the flood of endorphins through your bloodstream to the flushing out of stress hormones, a good workout (or even just a good walk) makes your body feel wonderful. This, in its turn, tends to improve the way you view yourself – just as it would improve the way you viewed any other situation.

Continuing on this line, I want you to try something. Hunch your shoulders, cross your arms across your chest, look down at the ground, scowl, and say 'I feel in control.' Not very convincing? That's because an estimated 80% of our communication is non-verbal, and this applies internally as well. Now try sitting up, putting your shoulders back, taking a couple of deep breaths, and repeating the experiment. Different? Now you're communicating a totally different non-verbal message. Then consider that exercise helps strengthen your muscles and improve your posture – all of which communicates nonverbally to your mind how you're feeling.

PSYCHOLOGICAL REASONS

Moving away from the physical, there are psychological reasons that reaching a specific exercise goal would increase self-efficacy. Self-efficacy is best improved by doing things. Every time you do something you haven't been able to do before, the part of you that holds your beliefs about what you're capable of (your self-efficacy) has to change to incorporate this new piece of information. So every time you achieve a new goal, your self-efficacy increases. This makes you more likely to set and achieve new goals, simply because, having tasted success, you know it's possible.

Then there's the way that other people react to the results of your exercise programme. You might get compliments on the physical effects – perhaps you're losing weight, looking less tired, or suddenly have more energy. Or, what you're actually *doing* might draw positive comments. A friend might say 'You're so good – you've kept this programme up for months now!' Someone might approach you at the gym and tell you they admire your dedication. (For extra 'self-esteem brownie points', look for opportunities to *give* these kinds of compliments sincerely to other people. You'll be amazed at how much better you feel about yourself). Getting compliments from other people isn't the best reason to take up exercise – but if you surround yourself with supportive people, they *will* notice the difference – and any compliments they give you are a nice side-effect!

Lastly, there's a reason I haven't seen anyone else mention, but it's such a big one for me that it needs to be mentioned. Exercising, by its nature, requires us to get rid of all our makeup, our tailored-to-hide-every-flaw suits, and everything else we hide behind to fit the magazine-imposed restrictions for beauty. And while letting that go can feel intimidating, it can also be incredibly freeing. Because exercising does the exactly same thing to everyone else.

If you want to once and for all destroy the illusion that everyone else but you looks like a model under their clothes, stand in a gym changing room and really *look* at the bodies there. There will be women who are 'too skinny', 'too short', 'too fat' – too 'whatever' to fit magazine standards – and most of them will be wandering around totally un-self-consciously, with far more important things to think about than the 'flaws' in their own, or each other's bodies. *This* is reality. *This* is what healthy women – of all shapes and sizes – look like. And when this realisation finally sinks in, it can be more freeing than any pat assurances that 'everyone's shape is different'.

THE BOTTOM LINE?

So what's the bottom line? Well, it's wonderful news – both for those of us who have difficulty sticking to a workout programme, and for those of us who know our self-image could use a little TLC. Work on your self-image, even a little, and you're going to want to exercise more to take better care of yourself. Add that little bit more exercise into your weekly routine, and you're going to see your self-image improving. Work on them both – just a little – at the same time, and watch the magic truly happen!

If you have any questions about this week's article, please don't hesitate to contact me on mailto:tanja@optimumlife.co.nz. Otherwise, until next time, may every day bring you closer to your Optimum Life.

About The Author
Optimum Life's Tanja Gardner is a Personal Trainer and Stress Management Coach whose articles on holistic health and relaxation have appeared in various media since 1999. Optimum Life is dedicated to providing fitness and stress management services to help clients all over the world achieve their optimum lives. To read more articles like this one, please subscribe to Optimum Fitness News at http://optimumlife.co.nz/Newsletter%20Signup.htm. To find out more about how you could benefit from online personal training, please visit http://www.trainerforce.com/optimumlife/. To find out more about holistic fitness and stress management please visit http://optimumlife.co.nz, or contact Tanja on tanja@optimumlife.co.nz.

Office Workout – The New Solution For Busy People

If you spent 10 minutes a day you can keep up your body. I spoke with many people that have no time to go to sport club, because they have to travel 20 minutes, undress, make routines, dress, travel back to office – in best cases this take minimum 1 hour and you have to be very fast. This is very complicated situation and people prefer to skip workouts and related with that stress.

Instead of nervous going to fitness club you can make your workout in the office in front of your computer and desk. People can not imagine how to do it. You can sit in your chair and for example lift your legs to the body or stand up and move legs to the back and up. There are many exercises that don't need any equipment; you can use your body's parts as weight. Women's most problem areas are thighs, hips and but. Use your problem part in your daily workout.

1) While I am writing this article I sit on chair and tighten up my butt and rest, 30 reps.

2) After that stand up and lift all body weight on your toes – make 30 reps – this exercise is for calve muscles.

3) March on side for 20 seconds and start lift your leg to the side – tighten hips, both legs and lift one leg – make 20 reps. Alternate the other leg.

4) Rest while marching on side.

5) Sit on your chair, bend knees and lift them to the ceiling – this exercise is for the abs. Make 30 reps.

6) Stay sit on the chair put your palms on the edge on your desk. Bend elbows and move your breasts to the desk, then push out the body to the back. Make 30 reps.

If you have strong longing to tone your body or even loose weight you can find the way.

About The Author
Rumiana Ilieva is the Webmaster at http://www.women-workout-routines.com and an avid amateur trainer. The site reviews weight loss workout routines and offers many free video workouts. To train on line visit http://www.women-workout-routines.com/free-workout-routines.html . You can print this article in your internet site or print media, but cite a source.

Struggling To Keep Your Workout Schedule? So am I ... !!

Sometimes following a fitness program or workout schedule is not quite as do-able as the folks writing the advice make it sound. I suppose the idea is to tell you what you should be doing to achieve your fitness or weight-loss targets, but you know sometimes life gets a bit in the way of all these plans, and there is just no way you can follow your intended program.

I know, because I am in exactly that position myself right now, and it is very easy to get derailed or discouraged and start to wonder if it's all just a bit too much to keep up in the face of uncontrollable obstacles.

My difficulty is that the local pool has closed for six weeks, and that's quite a blow to a training program designed to take me into the World Top Ten Swimming Masters again this year, so I've tried to find somewhere else to get in the necessary daily workout routine, but it seems everywhere I turn, I find the same refurbishing going on and pools closing all over the place; so what do we do? Well the point of all this personal story stuff is to say, "yes we have a real problem in sticking with the training plan but we can, and have to, adapt just to keep the ball rolling to our benefit". The last thing we want to do is give up or say, "let's forget the whole thing".

I guess I sound repetitive, as I say this in several articles, but you must, "keep on keeping on". That's the key to maintaining weight loss or maintaining fitness. It's so easy to get discouraged by the events and obstacles that life puts in the way, but the "can't beat me" kind of feeling can be nurtured by finding an alternative to your workout, and I bet that most of us have some aspect of our program that we have been meaning to work on, but have been too tied up in the regular main activity to focus on.

For example, here's what I have done to combat the lack of pool time. I'm doing some sit-ups, heaven knows I've been avoiding that pleasure for ages now, and I'm getting in some push-ups and a little work on the arms with some light weights, or if you have no weights, try two milk container jugs (the ones with the handles) filled with water, as barbells. Yes we all know that one, but you get the idea of what I'm saying, improvise, you don't have to have all the gear just to keep a maintenance level of fitness and you can also do all this stuff if you're on the road and in a hotel with no weight room.

Now one of the things you don't hear much from the pundits pushing their fitness or weight-loss programs is how they are doing and, if we do, it's all upbeat and rah-rah. Well let me tell you, I went quite some distance to find a pool that was open, as it had been close to two weeks without any swim workout, and boy, oh boy did I feel pretty bad! Arms of lead and legs that reconfirmed to me that if you don't have those legs in shape, you're "cooked". This is the other area I'm always harping on about, but you know it is true that the legs are the key to core strength and if we don't get them in shape, it really doesn't matter how good the rest of the body is because the leg fatigue will suck all the power from the engine.

So I struggled through my session and at the end it was a little better, but knowing I had at least put in a maintenance type session made me feel better and back on track, if not improving at least holding steady and not rolling backwards and that's my point. Whatever is temporarily disrupting your plans or throwing you off your schedule, work around it by adapting and using inventive thinking to keep you from slipping backwards. Like I've said in my articles before, the key phrase is, "keep on keeping on!" So keep on and don't give up!

Good luck, all the best.

About The Author
Gordon Black is a world-ranked Master swimmer and Canadian national record holder. A member of the British swim team in the late '60s, after thirty years out of the pool, last year Gordon returned to competitive swimming in the Masters forum. He offers an online weight loss, fitness and motivational coaching service through his web site www.gordonblack.com where his competitive comeback is chronicled. Gordon is currently working on a book based on his own weight management and fitness system - publisher's enquiries welcome!
gordon@gordonblack.com

Warming Up Yes! It Is Essential

I know what you're thinking. Warming up is for sissies, and wimps. You wouldn't be caught dead on a treadmill or exercise bike. You're here for one reason-- to move big iron and get massive.

Well what if I told you that warming up could help you lift heavier, which in turn could help you get bigger if you are not over training, eating enough protein and getting enough rest. And I'm convinced it will help prevent injuries, provided you don't do something stupid after you warm up like trying to squat 300 when you can barely get ten reps with 100.

How will warming up help me lift heavier?

Lets take barbell curls for example. If you start off with your heaviest weight which let's say is 100 pounds. You, for one thing, will have to spend some of your energy just getting into the groove. I'm sure other people will have different opinions of what that means, but to me it means getting mentally into the lift and deciding what tempo I'm going to use. Am I going to do slower reps emphasizing the negative portion of the lift or am I going to do my reps a little more explosively. (Hint: All this should/could be decided during the warm up based on how strong you're feeling on that particular day or on how mentally you are into your training on that day.)

But if you start out with an empty bar and do say two sets of 10-20 reps and then move up from there in whatever increments you choose you may find that you are feeling strong on that day so you're going to try and do 102.5 pounds for 8 solid reps. You may only get 6, but that's how you build a big, strong body, by slowly, (I can't emphasize SLOWLY enough) increasing the weight and/or reps on the basic exercises.

How does warming up help to prevent injuries?

Ever see a glass blower? When the glass is hot they can bend and shape it into any design they want. Of course we all know what happens to glass when it cools.

Think of your body in the same way. When you lift weights without warming up your muscles and tendons are like cooled glass. However when you warm up before hitting the heavy stuff your muscles and tendons are like the hot glass. Now don't misunderstand me you can still get injured even if you warm up thoroughly, but are a lot less likely too.

THE ROUTINE:

Before I get started on the exercises that comprise the warm-up I would like to explain why you won't find any descriptions of how the exercises are supposed to be done. I've left them out for two reasons. One is because I think that most of the people reading this will have at least a couple of years (if not a lot more) of training under their belts and will already know how to do the exercises.

Secondly, if you are new to bodybuilding I would suggest you hire a competent personal trainer to teach you the basics. Please take your time, ask around, and find a good competent, trainer. Don't be fooled if they tell you they are certified, that doesn't mean they know what they are doing. The best thing you can do for yourself, in my opinion, is to learn how to do the exercises correctly in the beginning. This way you won't have to break an old habit and then learn a new one. Not to mention the fact that you will be a lot less likely to get hurt if you learn the proper way of performing the exercises in the beginning!

After years of working out this is the warm up routine I've found that works for me.

10-15 minutes of some sort of movement, my favorite is the treadmill. The idea here is to get your body to the point where it feels warm. You don't need to be sweating profusely.

Next we move dumbbell laterals. I do them standing, but you can do them seated on a bench. I do two sets, I don't count reps, I just go until I feel I've done enough. Do them slowly and in complete control. Two sets of 10-20 should be enough. Don't be afraid to go really light on these. I've hurt my shoulders a lot over the years, so I use one pound dumbbells.

I can hear a lot of you laughing, saying to yourself I'd never be caught dead using one pound dumbbells. Maybe, not now, but trust me if you ever hurt your shoulders they'll be your best friends-in the gym that is. Remember you can never start too light, but you can always start too heavy.

Next up are shrugs. Yep you guessed it, it's two sets of shrugs, with the 1 pound dumbbells. Again I don't count reps, but two sets of 10-20 reps will probably be sufficient. Remember this is a warm up, so do them slow and in control.

From the shrugs we move to good mornings. I have an old hollow EZ curl bar that I use for these. Again it's two sets, this time shoot for 20 reps on both sets. Do them slow and don't bounce at the bottom.

Next we move on to the abs. I like two sets of swill ball crunches. If you train at home and don't have one, or your gym doesn't, do two sets of 20 reps of whatever you like--sit-ups (if they don't aggravate your lower-back), leg raises, etc.

VARIOUS POINTS:

That's the warm-up. As far as I'm concerned, your abs, shoulders, lower back, and traps, are involved in some degree in everything you do in the gym, so they need to be treated as such. Some of you might be shouting hey what about the hip/glute/leg area. Good point. But I feel that the 10-15 minutes of light jogging or walking or biking that starts this routine is sufficient enough to warm-up that area.

This is just a basic warm-up. If you feel two sets of an exercise isn't enough add another. Everyone is different. As I alluded to in the previous paragraph, for me that's enough warm-up for my lower body, but if it is not enough for you add two sets of bodyweight only squats to the routine.

Even though you went through the routine above,you should still start light and pyramid the weight up on any exercise. Just to give you an example even though they are relatively warm, I still start my dumbbell shoulder presses with the one pound dumbbells and move up from there.

CONCLUSION:

Don't let your ego prevent you from warming-up. Once your hurt a part of your body, it never feels perfect again. So if you're not hurt, warm up so you'll stay that way! And if you are hurt give this routine a try. Don't be afraid to put your own individual spin on it. You won't regret it. Keep Training!

About The Author
Leonard Rogalski - I have been involved in the fitness industry for over 20 years.

Your Top Fitness Questions Answered

As a certified personal trainer part of my commitment to clients is consulting with them. This includes answering their many fitness and diet questions. Needless to say, I get asked a lot of questions. And, there are several questions that seem to be on almost everyone's minds.

The answers to these top 8 inquiries can help most anyone get a jump start on reaching their weight loss and fitness goals. So, here are some of the top fitness questions and their answers.

1. I want to tone and tighten my legs (or stomach, or arms, etc). What exercises can I do to lose fat there and get them toned?

Answer: You can't spot reduce. It is necessary for you to reduce the fat in your trouble area before you will see big results from your strength training exercises. You must burn calories and fat through cardiovascular activities. This includes such things as walking, jogging, step aerobics, jumping rope, swimming etc. But, while cardio is critical you should also include strength training exercises to help build muscles and tone your trouble area simultaneously.

2. I really want to workout and get in-shape, but I just don't have the time. What should I do?

Answer: You are not alone. One of the top reasons people give for not working out is lack of time. The first step is to realize that it's not that you don't have the time, but that you are not making it a priority in your schedule. What people don't realize is that it doesn't take a huge time commitment to reap the many rewards of regular exercise. Many people think that if they can't workout several hours a week, then they might as well not workout at all. But, exercising even just a couple of days a week is far better than not exercising at all. The key is finding a truly effective and efficient workout plan.

3. What is the best fitness program for losing weight?

Answer: The key to a successful program is that it is comprehensive and includes the necessary pieces. There are three major components of a good weight loss program: cardio, strength training and stretching. It's equally important to include all three components. For example, you could do cardio 3 times per week, strength training twice per week and stretch before and after every workout.

4. I have hit a plateau and can't seem to get the scale to budge (or can't get any stronger). Can you help me?

Answer: The key to breaking through a plateau is change. One of the best techniques for overcoming a plateau is Interval training. This is a type of training that includes bursts of high intensity periods followed by lower intensity recovery times. You'll also want to change your workout routine at least every 4-6 weeks.

5. What size weights should I train with and how many reps should I complete?

Answer: There's no one size fits all weight size that is best. The size of weight you use depends on your goals, skills, past fitness experience, etc. A good rule of thumb is to start with about 70% maximum resistance with 8-12 reps and 1-3 sets. To determine your specific 70% maximum size, you must first determine the maximum amount of weight you can lift. However, it's typically not recommended that beginners attempt to lift their maximum amount of weight, for safety reasons. So, another simpler option is to choose a weight size that provides fatigue after the 8th - 12th rep is completed.

6. Is it bad for your body to workout some of the same muscle groups daily?

Answer: Typically you should allow your muscle to rest about 48 hours before working it again. This is the safest approach and also the most efficient approach for improving strength. It will help you increase hypertrophy more effectively.

7. How often should I stretch and should I stretch before or after working out?

Answer: Actually, it's best to stretch both times. If you have the time, your body will really benefit from stretching both before you start exercising and again after your workout. At the very least, be sure to stretch after you have completed your workout. As far as frequency, even if you don't workout every day it is very beneficial to include a stretching routine daily.

8. How can I workout at home because I don't belong to a gym?

Answer: There are many, many options for strength training and cardio workouts that don't require a trip to the gym. If you have dumbbells, a resistance band, or an exercise stability ball, there are literally hundreds of exercises that you can do at home. With these exercises you can increase your muscular strength, muscular endurance plus of course get a more defined look in your physical appearance. For cardio workouts you can simply walk outside or at an indoor location, stair climb, jumping jacks, etc.

About The Author
Lynn Bode is a certified personal trainer specializing in Internet-based fitness programs. She founded Workouts For You. Visit: http://www.workoutsforyou.com for a free sample workout and to sign-up for their monthly fitness newsletter. Workouts For You provides affordable online exercise programs custom designed for each individual. Fitness professionals visit: http://www.trainerforce.com
info@workoutsforyou.com

Why Your Cardiovascular Workouts Might Be A Big Waste Of Your Time

What if I were to tell you that most if not all of the cardiovascular exercise you do was worthless? Well, guess what... over 50% of the people who perform cardio in an attempt to burn fat are wasting their time... hours and hours of it! Are you one of them?

Before you call me crazy, let me explain. I'm not saying that cardiovascular exercise can't or doesn't burn fat; it's just that most people are not performing the right type of cardio workouts. Before I get into the details, let me first cover some of the basics.

Just like anything in life, if you want to be successful you must do two things:

1. Know what you're doing (or learn); be knowledgeable

2. Have a plan (detailed/well thought out)

How Cardio Exercise Affects Your Body

Well, I'm going to make sure that after reading this today you will be able to do both. So let's start with your knowledge. It's critical that you understand how your body works and what happens when you exercise.

The human body is constantly burning a mix of fuels or energy sources: fat and glycogen. Glycogen is energy stored in muscle cells that is primarily used during intense muscle contractions. Some examples of these intense muscle contractions would be strength training, running, hard physical work, etc. So basically, during low to moderate activity levels, your body first uses what's in the blood stream and then uses primarily fat.

When you are highly active you use more glycogen and less fat. You are probably wondering what all this has to do with you and your cardio workouts... right? Well, it matters... a lot!

There are different benefits of different level of activity. Let me explain to you the system use, why I use it, and why it's the most effective. I recommend three basic level of cardiovascular exercise:

Level 1: Long easy workout (ex. walking 60 minutes

Level 2: Moderate intensity / moderate time (ex. fast walk 45 minutes)

Level 3: Short, hard workout (ex. running 20 minutes)

NOTE: It doesn't matter what activity or piece of equipment you choose. All that matters is that you get to the desired level.

Let's talk about what happens at each of the three levels. When exercising at the Level 1 pace, your body burns more colonies from fat, HOWEVER the total number of calories is small. In order for you to burn a lot of body fat at the easy level you would need to do it for hours at a time! Not too practical is it? This is not to say there aren't benefits because there are...it's just not the best choice when it comes to fat loss. The primary benefit is increased blood flow and circulation, which means you'll feel better, you'll recover more quickly, and you'll be healthier in general.

Ok, let's talk about Level 2 now. At this level you burn more calories but less are from fat. Moderate work will result in a larger increase in metabolism than the easy Level 1 and will last 2-6 hours in most cases. You also get the benefits of increased blood flow but you also have to remember that it's a bit more stressful than Level 1. The main benefit, or I should say possible benefit is increased endurance (cardio/respiratory) IF your workouts are progressive (challenge the body's systems to work harder over time nearly each workout if possible).

Last but not least Level 3. At this level you burn the most calories per unit of time. You also burn less fat during the workout, but the plus side is you deplete muscle glycogen which means you'll be les likely to store "new" fat because any excess calories will be stored in the muscles instead. This typed of workout also results in the largest increase in metabolism, which will generally last 4-24 hours or more.

The Level 3 workout is by far the most effective when it comes to fat loss for four reasons:

1. Burn more calories in less time

2. Largest increase in metabolism that lasts the longest

3. Helps to add and maintain muscle tissue

4. Depletes muscle glycogen which means you're less likely to store new fat

So what's your goal? As you can see there are benefits at each level and how often you perform each workout should be based on your goals. You can get the benefits of all three but you must be cautious in how you structure your program. Here are some general guidelines to follow:

If your primary goal is:

Fat loss

1-3 Level 3 (10-20 mins)
1-2 Level 2 (20-30 mins)
1-2 Level 1 (40-60 mins) – Optional

Endurance

1 Level 3 (10-20 mins)
2-3 Level 2 (20-40 mins)
1-2 Level 1 (40-60 mins)

General Fitness

1 Level 3 (10-20 mins)
1-2 Level 2 (20-30 mins)
1-2 Level 1 (40-60 mins)

So to recap, you really need to know what your goals are, and what levels you need to be at and how often. On the following page is a chart that gives you the heart rate zones for all 3 of the workouts based on your age.

NOTE: If you are on blood pressure regulating medication you should first consult with your doctor and reduce the numbers by 10 each. If you are not currently exercising or have not exercised at the different levels before I advise you build up your intensity slowly.

If you would like more information on cardiovascular exercise please give me a call. You reach me at 240-731-3724 or by emailing jesse@achieve-fitness.com

About The Author
Jesse Cannone is a certified personal trainer and author of the best-selling fitness ebook, Burn Fat FAST. Be sure to sign up for his free email course as it is full of powerful weight loss and fitness tips that are guaranteed to help you get the results you want. http://www.guaranteed-weightloss.com
info@guaranteed-weightloss.com

Liberate Your Set Esteem and Lose Weight

Are you a 'look-and-lose' dieter? Have you studied every diet ever created, read a zillion diet books, and yet are still unhappy with your weight?

Has your quest for the holy grail of dieting become a substitute for actually making changes required to take the ill health out of your current diet?

If so, you may not realise your thoughts are key to your happiness and success.

Do you look at yourself and say, "I'm fat", or "My hips are too big"? Many of us look in the mirror and immediately compare ourselves to those 'perfect' human specimens we see every single day on TV, in magazines and in the newspapers.

Often we talk to ourself and make excuses, "It's my genes", "I'm much too busy to get fit", "I like myself this", as a way of protecting yourself from the way we see ourselves now and the way we want to be.

If we were to be truly honest with ourselves most people actually want to lose a few pounds - if we only knew how.

The good news is you CAN achieve your desired body shape with the right thinking about yourself, an understanding of how to get optimal nutrition, healthy eating habits and how to incorporate activity into your lifestyle to keep your muscles toned.

But most important of all, you need a regular mental workout to keep your self-image in shape.

Self-image is closely connected to the success or failure of any goal you choose to seek after, but none more so that the goal to get yourself fit and healthy.

So how do you go about strengthening your self-image? Well fortunately your self-image, just like your muscles, will respond well to a regular work out. You can actually strengthen your self-image with a few daily exercises.

Exercise One - Self Examination

Start by compiling a list of all those negative thoughts your have about yourself...I'm undisciplined, I can't manage my time, I let people down, I can't succeed, I don't exercise enough. You will need to decide before you start this process that you won't get discouraged....these are things that you will admit to yourself but they most certainly don't have to control your life.

Next, compile a second list including everything you LIKE about yourself. Keep going until this list is LONGER than the first list you compiled. You might include things such as, I am a good cook, I can make people laugh, I contribute to the soccer club, my daughter loves the way I decorate her room.

Then, take your 'negatives' list and turn it into your 'potentials' list. You do this by creating a positive self-image to every 'negative' you listed. Instead of "I can't succeed", write a counter belief, "I will succeed".

Ceremonially throw out the 'negatives' list - you are saying goodbye forever! Burn them, trash them, destroy them....they are no longer going to be a part of your thinking about yourself.

Now, keep your list of potentials in a prominent place. On your refrigerator door, in your daily journal, or in a picture frame on your desk. Make sure you have them in front on your every single day so that you are reading them constantly and reprogramming your daily thoughts.

Exercise Two: You Can Be What You Want to Be

Now that you have your list of potentials... run your own visualisation stories so that you can 'see' yourself in a new light. For example, if your list of potential includes "I eat just the right portions", visualise yourself with a moderate portion on your plate, and feeling completely satisfied at the conclusion of your meal.

Read through your list of potentials every day taking a few moments of personal quiet time to reflect strongly on your visualisations. Try starting your day first thing in the morning and finishing as the last thing at night with visualising yourself being the person on your list, and doing the things you want to do.

Exercise Three: Keep a Journal of Your Daily Successes

Keep a record of all the positive changes in thoughts you have about yourself. We all have triumphs and 'failures'. You must record and remind yourself of the positive changes because our human nature will replay the negatives - sometimes blowing them out of proportion. It's important to nurture and celebrate the small steps you make every day.

Exercise Four: Go Easy On Yourself - You Are Beautiful Work In Progress

Don't listen to the criticism...not your own nor that of others! Remember you are the designer of your self-esteem, do not hand this over to other people. You are way too important to give this away. Protect your role as creator of your own self-image and do not, take on board negative criticisms. We all make mistakes, and mistakes can be used to help us learn. Do not criticise yourself for being human and making a mistake. The only last mistake in the one from which we never learn to grow.

Exercise Five: Forget About The Past

The only moment you can live is the current one. You can't live in the future and you most certainly shouldn't live in the past....the challenge is to take charge of our thinking so that we think in the same time zone in which we live!

For example we may be tempted to think about yesterday's failures..."If only I hadn't eaten second helpings", "If only I didn't reach for the chocolate cookies". If we concentrate on the mistakes of yesterday this will our brains to replay our failures and reinforce them to us.

Yesterday is over, today is where you live....make sure that today you do NOT replay yesterday's failures and make your resolve to change TODAY.

Exercise Six: Resolve to Change Today

Just as you shouldn't live in the past, you can't live in the future. You can only live or change today. The oldest cliché in the world is perhaps one of the greatest truisms of all...'tomorrow NEVER comes!'

There is no better time than now. So, no matter what excuses you may have to wait to take those healthy steps you know you should take, none of them are valid. Do it now, do it today. Resolve to make a different in your own life before you go to sleep tonight.

Exercise Seven: Write a Plan For your Life

This is your success plan. If you have not already done so it is time for you to create direction and purpose in your plans for yourself. Review your list of potentials and record next to each potential when you want to achieve this by.

Exercise Eight: Carry Affirmation Cards About Yourself

This is one of the fastest tools for your success. You are what you think. Strengthen your self-image every day by reviewing your thoughts. One of the easiest ways to do this is to carry affirmation cards in your wallet and review regularly. Affirmation cards are short bursts of words in business card that prompt and remind your self-image of your intentions. An example might be:

I can achieve anything that I put my mind to.
I will be satisfied with single helpings.

Try it, you have absolutely nothing to lose and everything to gain!

Exercise Nine: Change Your Eating Habits

Now that you have set the groundwork in place, you are now ready to change your physical habits. You are ready to add a balanced nutritious diet, healthy eating habits, regular exercise and relaxation.

By using these nine exercises daily to change your thinking habits, you will be strengthening your self esteem and unlocking your internal power to make a change in your life. Before you can change lifelong eating habits, you must first change life long thinking habits. We are what we think. We can't be something other than what we believe we can be!

So, do yourself a favour, liberate your self-image and then, see how much more effective your healthy living plan becomes!

About The Author
Kim is successful a wellness mentor. She has been assisting people achieve excellent health through cellular nutrition. For those wanting to lose weight she uses a proven amazing, approach that enables people to have a boost in energy and block to cravings while they are losing the weight. She has a Bachelor of Science majoring in Biochemistry and Histology. Visit http://leanmachine.org/?refid=articlecity-23429

Warning! Lack Of Exercise Could Be Harmful To Your Health

You know it's bad when the Surgeon General issues a warning that lack of exercise is hazardous to your health. And that was back in '96. Since then, the stats haven't improved much, either: 25% of the American population is still sedentary and 60% do not exercise regularly (Reference: http://www.cdc.gov).

For fitness minded folks, we could do worse than to follow the "hour-a-day" prescription outlined by the Surgeon General's Healthy People Report. It's just a guideline, of course and, as you already know, any amount of activity packed into your busy schedule is going to earn you healthy rewards. But there are plenty of other reasons to exercise.

"If people exercised only moderately," says Janet Kneiss, Physical Therapist, "there would be far less incidence of injury. The 15 or so people I see daily, who come in with back and neck problems, usually don't want to exercise, they want a quick fix."

The solution as she sees it?

"I think, if people could just reframe the idea of it [exercise] being so much work and focus more on the enjoyment of doing it,they would find the experience more positive."

So, if exercise alone can keep you injury and disease free, how do you keep it from being just another thing "to-do?" Here are a couple ideas:

Do something you enjoy: This sounds incredibly simple, but it's worth mentioning. As we've already said, most seasoned fitness fanatics as well as neophytes will be the first to tell you: if you do something you enjoy, you will stick to it. What do you like to do? Walk? Run? Spin the treadmill while watching the tube? Or how about branching out and trying something unique and different like kick-boxing or martial arts? It's a great idea to add variety; it will keep your exercise fresh and interesting.

Mix it up! Speaking of variety, you can also mix up your routine. For example: try splitting up your exercise sessions. If you take a half-hour walk in the morning, take a half-hour to stretch or resistance train in the afternoon. Just adding a bit of variety could spice things up and keep you motivated. Make an appointment with yourself. Make the commitment to exercise by making an appointment with yourself. Write it on your calendar. If you've never exercised before, start slow [10-15 minutes] then build up. Begin exercising three times a week, then slowly build up your time and your frequency. If you love to exercise, try listening to your bio-rhythms. If you can, schedule exercise during peak energy periods.

Strive for your personal best. A friend e-mailed to tell me he was gearing up for another 5K relay race. I wasn't surprised. When he was 50, never having run before and not having "runners genetics" as he puts it, he decided at 15 pounds overweight and asthmatic, he was going to run. He made up his mind. For a year he trained, dropped the weight and signed up. His first goal was simply to finish. Did he do it: you bet. Did he work through an asthma attack to get across the finish line? He did, but he kept going. Now, he continues to train and improve his time with each race. His secret, he tells me: enjoy the journey, live in the moment, and focus on your personal best.

"So, Laura, what's the take home message?" you ask. Never mind what everyone else is doing. Stay focused on you, doing what you enjoy and what is fun and exciting for you. Learn everything you can about health and fitness. Then, do the best you can. In so doing, you will be an inspiration for others. To summarize: A quote from one of my favorite inspirational writers Dr. Wayne Dyer, who says: "I don't want to be better than anybody, I just want to be better than I was yesterday."

About The Author
Laura Turner, Certified Personal Trainer has developed a series of health, fitness, and nutrition tips available at ===> http://www.1brand-new-body.com In 21 days you can create healthy new you,let her show you how! Get her free report: 7 Steps to a High Performance Body by sending a blank email to: ===> mailto:hiperformbody@getresponse.com
VioletProsePubs@aol.com

Avoid These Five Common Weight Loss Mistakes

Mistake #1: Not changing your calorie plan as you lose weight. The fallacy of the "1200 calorie diet" plans and the like.

Most people fix their calorie intake to a given number and expect to lose weight at the same constant rate over a period of weeks. Hence, dieters look for 1000 calorie or 1800 calorie diet plans on the internet. The fixed calorie diet plans don't work. If you burn 3000 calories a day at the start of a diet, after a week or two of losing some weight, you are no longer burning 3000 calories. Now you might be burning 2800 calories. If you fix your calorie intake in the face of a decreasing calorie expenditure, your weight loss will slow down more and more as you lose weight.

If you want to lose weight at a constant rate, you must repeatedly:

decrease your calorie intake to accommodate the calorie expenditure drop

increase your calorie output by exercising more

do both

I would like to note that you must set realistic slow weight loss goals. If you go for fast weight loss you would not be able to sustain it for a long period unless you go extreme in the calorie reduction and exercise a lot. For people who have to lose more than 20 pounds (10kgs), the goal should be a loss of no more than 2 pounds or 1 kg per week. People who need to lose just a bit of weight should go for weight loss of 1 pound or half a kilogram per week.

Why does my calorie expenditure drop as I lose weight? The most important factors are:

You weight less. A smaller body burns less calories both at rest and while active

You may involuntarily burn fewer calories. Dieters often lack energy and move less

Calorie restriction suppresses the metabolic rate

You have less body fat, which may further suppress your metabolic rate

These major factors contribute to an ever-decreasing energy expenditure as one loses weight. The more a dieter cuts calories, the bigger the calorie expenditure drop. The leaner the dieter, the greater the calorie expenditure drop.

Now you must understand that if you want to succeed in losing weight, you have to make changes in your nutrition plan. I recommend burning more calories, because being more active facilitates smaller calorie restriction and milder calorie expenditure drop.

It is very difficult to estimate the rate of the metabolic drop. Here is the general rule: the bigger you are, the smaller the rate of the metabolic drop. The more weight you lose, the more you have to cut calories or increase exercise. If you are overweight you might need to cut just 10 more calories for every lost pound, while if you are lean you might have to cut 60 calories for every pound lost. I picked these numbers just as an example.

Mistake #2: Overreporting the "extra" calorie expenditure of exercise

Most people count the calories they spend exercising as "extra" calories. There is a difference between calories burned while exercising and "extra" calories burned exercising. Here is an example: you burn 300 calories on the treadmill instead of your usual activity (watching TV at home); in reality, you have to subtract the calories you would have spent watching TV from these 300 calories to calculate how many additional calories you burned. Let's say that watching TV, you would have burned 80 calories. In this specific case, you have expended 300 calories while exercising, and 220 "extra" calories.

Calorie counters mindlessly add the calories burned exercising as "extra" and in some cases, this practice can significantly influence the calorie calculations. Hence, calorie software counts the part of your usual activities that overlaps with the extra activities twice.

How to estimate the "extra" calories burned exercising?

In order to make the calculations more accurate, I shall first introduce the concept of MET values. MET values are a convenient way to calculate the calorie cost of activities. MET values are multiples of the resting energy expenditure per time. In plain English, a MET = 3 means burning 3 times more calories than resting. A MET = 1 signifies how many calories you burn at rest (your Resting Metabolic Rate or Basal Metabolic Rate). Whatever you do, you burn calories at a rate of at least MET = 1 with the only exception being sleeping which has MET = 0.9. During the day, most activities include sitting and walking which have MET values between 1.2 and 3. Your total daily energy expenditure is calculated by multiplying your Resting Metabolic Rate by the average MET of all your activities. Is your head spinning?

Let's use a real world example. Consider a female person with a Resting Metabolic Rate of 1200 calories a day. One day has 1440 minutes. Our example lady is burning 1200/1440 = 0.84 calories per minute at rest, which signifies a MET = 1. Let's say our example woman just returned from an aerobics class, where she exercised for 30 minutes. General aerobic class training has a MET = 6. Our example lady has just burned 30 (minutes) x 6 (MET) * 0.84 (calories per minute) = 151 calories while exercising. Suppose our lady would have chatted on the internet instead of exercising (MET = 1.5). In this example, the woman substituted chatting on the internet with aerobic exercising. Remember, that every time you do something you substitute one activity for another. In order to get the extra calories, we have to subtract 1.5 (chatting) from 6 (exercising). Now let's calculate the extra calories: 30 (minutes) * (6 - 1.5) (MET value) * 0.84 = 113 calories.

Let's consider what a standard calorie counter would have done. First, it will assume an average calorie burn rate of 1 calorie per minute. Then the counter will find that exercising for 30 minutes will yield 30 (minutes) * 6 (MET) * 1 (calories per minute) = 180 calories. The calorie counter will add these 180 calories to your daily expenditure without considering that a part of these 180 calories is already accounted by your usual activities.

Do you now see the difference between 113 calories and 180 calories? If that woman spends 5 hours a week in that aerobics class, the standard calorie counters will overreport her calorie output by: (180-113) * 10 = 670 calories a week. The woman will be fooled that her metabolic rate has dropped while she just overestimated her calorie expenditure. Enter weight loss plateau, wasted time and efforts. Do you have the time for trial and error calorie estimations?

Remember these two rules:

Report only extra activities to your calorie counter. If your walk to your office every day, do not log "walking to office for 30 minutes" as an extra activity. Consider only unusual activities that contribute to extra expended calories!

Always subtract the calories you would have burned instead of exercising. A general rule is to subtract from 1.2 to 1.5 from the MET values. In some cases, you need to subtract a greater MET. If you substitute 30 minutes of bodybuilding (MET = 6) for 30 minutes of slow jump rope (MET = 8) then the additional MET would be 8 - 6 = 2.

How to find the MET values of activities based on standard tables?

In order to make the above calculations, you need to know the MET values of activities. Standard tables give: name of activity, duration and calories. Standard tables assume an average calorie expenditure of one calorie per minute. To find the MET you just need to divide the calories by the duration.

Example: "Bicycling, stationary, general", "20 minutes", "140 calories"

MET of "Bicycling, stationary, general" = 140 / 20 = 7

I know these calculations are somewhat tedious and in many cases the standard calorie calculations are close to correct. However, in some cases they can significantly over or under-calculate the calorie expenditure of activities and compromise your weight loss plan with daily miscalculations.

Mistake #3: Training with light weights and lots of reps

I have seen countless number of ladies come to the gym, get the lightest possible dumbbells, crank out some hundreds of reps and go home. Most often, these women do not get the results they want. The problem with this type of training is that it does not burn many "extra" calories unless you spend a considerable amount of time in the gym. Hefting Ken and Barbie weights in the gym has a MET value of 3, which means that it burns 3 times more calories than resting in bed. Almost anything you do during the day has a MET value of 1.2 to 2. Browsing the internet on your computer has a MET value of 1.5. Realize that almost anything you do during the day (average MET = 1.5) has about 50% overlap in calorie expenditure with training with very light weights (MET = 3). If you pump super light dumbbells in the gym, only about half of the calories burned are "additional".

Of course, you can burn a considerable amount of extra calories training with light weights but you have to really extend the duration of this type of training. Curling 5 pound dumbbells for 4 sets of 20 reps and chit-chatting for 20 minutes in the gym is not going to burn many extra calories.

Remember the rule: the less intensive the activity (smaller MET), the greater the calorie expenditure overlap with casual activities; the less intensive the activity, the more time you have to spend doing it to expend a good deal of extra calories. Always subtract a MET of 1 to 1.5 to arrive at the additional expended calories.

Mistake #4: Using "average person" calorie estimations

You can find all kinds of tables showing the calorie cost of different physical activities on the internet. These tables don't show your calorie expenditure. They actually tell you the calorie expenditure of an "average person". These tables assume you are an average person that burns one calorie per minute at rest. Yes, we covered this in the first part of the article and it needs repeating. Most men burn more than one calorie per minute and most smaller women burn less than one calorie per minute at rest. In reality, these standard tables overestimate the calorie expenditure of smaller people and underestimate the calorie expenditure of bigger than average people. Combine this with the common mistake of counting all burned calories as "additional calories" and you have a wide range of possible miscalculations.

Mistake #5: Going on very low calorie diets (VLCD)

Research has shown little to no difference in the weight loss rate of 1200 calorie diets and 800 calorie diets. The 1200 calorie threshold is the point where further calorie restriction does not yield faster results. Diets in the range of 800 to 1200 calories a day suppress the resting metabolic rate from the very first day and after some weeks on these diets, the metabolic rate has dropped by up to 20%. This metabolic drop is just a consequence of the calorie restriction factor; other factors such as the level of leanness may further depress the calorie expenditure.

A big percentage of the quick initial weight loss on a VLCD is water. VLCDs create an illusion of fast fat loss, while in reality most of the weight loss is water. It is hard to continue a very low calorie diet for a prolonged time because the harsh calorie restriction makes you hungrier than ever. People on VLCDs often lack energy and move very little. When you stop the diet, you are prone to instant overeating. Eating a very low calorie diet is the ticket to yo-yo dieting.

Instead of using very low calorie diets, I recommend diets with a mild calorie restriction and an emphasis on exercise. Overweight people who know what they are doing can employ VLCDs for a limited time. It is important to get enough vitamins and minerals from supplements, because such low calorie diets are woefully inadequate in nutrients. Water intake should be high.

Bodybuilders, powerlifters and athletes must stay away from very low calorie diets because the large calorie restriction causes a greater proportion of the weight loss to be muscle loss.

If you want to automate these complicated calorie calculations, try our training and nutrition software Fitness Assistant FREE for 30 days. Get your trial copy at www.x3msoftware.com

About The Author
Hristo Hristov is the owner of X3MSoftware, a company specializing in developing training and nutrition software. Hristo has a degree in Computer Science and passion for powerlifting. In his spare time, Hristo gives training and nutrition consultations.
hristo@x3msoftware.com